Welcome to Calne Karate

Calne Karate is the place to train for Shotokan Karate in Calne and the surrounding villages. It is suitable for both male and females, and for any age from 8 upwards (CRB approved instructor).

The club started in January 2002 and in that time has produced four Shodans and one Nidan black belt, and hopefully taught many others something about this traditional martial art, and themselves! 

We train every Thursday from 7.00pm to 9.00pm at The John Bentley School in Calne, see the Club Information Sheet for more details

The club is run under the SSKA  grading syllabus and is based on traditional Shotokan skills and techniques, but with the opportunity of putting them into practice with frequent sparring sessions.

Lessons should bring together fitness, personal mental attitude and technique, and be fun but demanding so that at the end of each lesson you feel a sense of achievement at what you have learnt. Each lesson is a mixture of basic techniques to kata, kumite and self defense techniques, all working towards the SSKA grading syllabus, and quarterly gradings.

Full information on the club is available from the Club Information Sheet and the rules for the club from Club Rules

Dene Marshallsay

The Shodans

Chris Wiggins

Sean Marshallsay

Matthew Moore

Hannah Massey

Gazette Article

The Club

Club Events

Over the last couple of years we have participated in a number of events:

December 2008 Grading Lesson

Information on Your First Lesson

On arriving at the lesson I will introduce myself to you, try to make you feel welcome and relaxed and explain the club rules and licenses etc which are required to become a member. You will then be assigned to a higher grade pupil who will assist with stretching exercises and acquaint you with the club. Once everybody has arrived I start the lesson with all students lining up in descending order of grade (highest on the left, lowest on the right) and cross your arms in front of your body and go intothe YOI position, which is the ready position. When I issue the command you put your feet together (right foot into left foot) then move your feet so the toes are pointing outwards, but keeping your heels together, and go into a crouching position. You then kneel (left knee down first) (SEIZA). When everyone is still, the highest graded student facing the Sensei says in a loud voice: "SENSEI, NI REI" (meaning, "bow to the teacher"). The whole class bows formally and say in a loud voice "OSS", I will return the bow and say in a loud voice "OSS". I stand, keeping my feet together and hands by my sides, and instruct you to return to a similar standing position, I will instruct you to bow again and the lesson begins.

A typical session will always start with a general warm up, stretching routine and conditioning of the body. This helps to prepare your body for the lesson, PLEASE LISTEN TO YOUR BODY, IF IT HURTS, DON'T DO IT. If you have any injuries which you're concerned about, tell me before the lesson begins.

Once the warm up is complete I will take the class through KIHON (basic) training, in which the stances, blocks, attacking techniques and defense moves that form the basis of Karate are performed. This may last for a whole session or may form a proportion of the lesson. Students may then be asked to pair off and practice five step or one step basic sparring, where basic defense techniques are practiced against pre-arranged attacks. Your Sensei may move onto more advanced techniques which the partners practice over and over again until the concept has been grasped. In advanced classes, the higher grades may practice semi-free style sparring, in which the attack is pre-determined, but the response is left to the individual.

The final period is often devoted to practicing Kata, the formal sequences of Karate techniques, in which the class will usually perform the sequence to my count and then at speed without count.

At the end of the whole session, I will tell the class to re-form into it's original line(s) with all students lining up in descending order of grade (highest on the left, lowest on the right) and cross your arms in front of your body and go into the YOI position, which is the ready position. when I issue the command you put your feet together (right foot into left foot) then move your feet so the toes are pointing outwards, but keeping your heels together, and go into a crouching position. You then kneel (left knee down first) (SEIZA). I will then call Mokuso whereby you close your eyes, bring forefinger and thumb together on your knees and meditate. This offers the opportunity to relax your body, centre your mind and think about what you are going to take away from the lesson to remember and incorporate into your karate skills. After a suitable period of time I will call OSS, and the highest graded student facing the Sensei says in a loud voice: "SENSEI, NI REI" (meaning, "bow to the teacher"). The whole class bows formally and say in a loud voice "OSS", I will return the bow and say in a loud voice "OSS". I stand, keeping my feet together and hands by my sides, and instruct you to return to a similar standing position, I will instruct you to bow again and the lesson is over.

At the end of the lesson I will speak to you to find out how you enjoyed the lesson and to gain some feedback, if you have any questions do not be afraid to ask.

Remember to keep an open mind about what you are learning and don't forget the Club Rules

Further information on the Association rules can be viewed by clicking here